10 Hard-To-Stomach Horror Movies

10 Horror Movies That Are WAY Too Intense (But Worth Watching Anyway)

October is always a great month at the movies for horror fans. After all, with Halloween creeping just around the corner, cinemas are chock-full of freaky films to senselessly gorge on.

While most of these flicks will be completely forgotten come November, there are always a few that stand the test of time – will Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (in theaters October 23rd) be one of them? Probably not, but it is in 3D, which should make for a pretty fun experience.

While 3D ghosts and ghouls are sure to give viewers fleeting frights, a gruesome, gory film has the power to plant itself firmly in your nightmares and scar you for life — now that’s what I call terrifying. In celebration of the horror fan’s favorite season, let’s all put our nerves (and stomachs) to the test by taking in scenes from some seriously sickening scary movies.

If you’re the faint-of-heart type, turn away now before it’s too late — some of these clips feature sights you can never un-see.

Begotten (1990)

If you think a film featuring hippy-dippy sounding characters like “Mother Earth” and “Son of Earth” couldn’t possibly be as gut-wrenchingly nasty as the rest of the movies on this list, think again! Begotten is tough to get through for a number of reasons – not only is it a silent, low-budget, high-contrast, black and white experimental horror film from the early 1990s (based on a story from the Bible, I might add), the first few minutes of this flick features a God-figure committing suicide by disemboweling himself. If you ask me, it’s hard to imagine a more disgusting way to die, especially if it’s at your own hands. This movie is so miserable that it likely wouldn’t have seen the light of day were it not for Susan Sontag, who deemed it one of the 10 best movies ever made in modern times. Fun fact: Marilyn Manson wound up hiring E. Elias Merhige, the brains behind Begotten, to direct one of his music videos a few years after the film’s release.

The Collection (2012)

The Collection is the sequel to a freaky film from 2009 called The Collector and both have been dismissed as mindless torture-porn by many a critic. Now, I’m not claiming that either of these films are particularly classy (or even necessarily any good), but they definitely fit the bill when it comes to this list. Plus, any horror fan worth their salt knows that, when it comes to their favorite genre, critics (generally) don’t know sh*t. Anyway, The Collector was supposedly slated to serve as a prequel to Saw, but producers quickly pulled the plug on the project and chose to make Saw XXI or something instead. Lucky for us, the film found its footing soon after, receiving a humble release in 2009. After hearing reviewer after reviewer rant about “torture porn” and the debased nature of the first installment, filmmaker Marcus Dunstan and co. knew exactly what they wanted to do with a sequel – take the whole thing even further. Seriously – The Collection is f*cked up.

House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Before we begin, did you know that there’s a Universal Studios theme park ride based on this movie? Exactly what kind of psychopath gave that project the green light? As the kids say, “mind = blown.” Rob Zombie’s directorial debut made us forget all about how lame he’d become post-Y2K — seriously guys, The Sinister Urge wasn’t even half-decent. Though the film received less than favorable reviews, House of 1000 Corpses developed a devoted cult following among horror fans, and for good reason – the gore is seriously on point, and so is the humor that accompanies it. This film is disgusting, outlandish and horrifying, but it’s also pretty funny in spots in a totally knowing, “winking at the audience” sort of way. In short, if you’re not the kind of moviegoer who can handle bloodied bodies by the overflowing barrel, you’re probably gonna wanna steer clear of this bad boy.

Scrapbook (2000)

Most people don’t really know how to feel about Eric Stanze’s Scrapbook for one simple reason – it’s just a bit too realistic. Realism may be a true triumph in typical filmmaking, but when we’re talking horror movies, things get a little more complicated. Scrapbook tells the tale of a psychopathic serial killer who kidnaps, rapes and tortures his female victims for extended periods of time, all the while recording his experiences in – you guessed it – his very own, not to mention very sick, scrapbook. Sounds like your typical frightfest, right? Well, here’s what makes it more nauseating than your average scary movie – while other films shy away from depicting sexualized torture in any detailed fashion, this one doesn’t. Scrapbook gives the viewer way more than they bargained for. Some film scholars celebrate the film for its unique, no-hold-barred take on the torture-horror genre, while others totally condemn it. It’s worth a watch just to see where you stand – you know, if you can actually make it all the way to the end.

A Serbian Film (2010)

If you’re an astute Serbian viewer with a stomach of steel, you might be able to pick up on the political undertones present in A Serbian Film – according to filmmaker Srđan Spasojević, the controversial horror flick is simply a “diary of our own molestation by the Serbian government” and serves as a surrealistic critique of the “monolithic power of leaders who hypnotize you to do things you don’t want to do.” However, if you’re watching this film literally anywhere else in the world, you’ll be way too busy trying to keep yourself from barfing to be able to appreciate those nuances. A Serbian Film has been banned in a bevy of countries for its disturbing depictions of sexualized violence, among other things. Seriously, this film’s got everything you never want to see, including (but definitely not limited to) necrophilia, nightmarish snuff porn scenarios and unspeakable acts executed against newborns. God, this movie is gross.

The Loved Ones (2009)

If you’re a numbers kinda guy, you’ll probably appreciate this little tidbit – Sean Byrne’s The Loved Ones currently holds a 98% fresh critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Not bad for a Tasmanian filmmaker’s first full-length feature, don’t you think? The Loved Ones takes a tip from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre school of scares, primarily taking place in a f*cked up family home you’d never, ever want to set foot in, even if your life depended on it. Though this film features scenes of brutal torture that are sure to keep you up at night, it’s not without its humorous moments – it manages to strike that delicate balance between funny and frightening that makes horror movies so fun to watch in the first place. Oh, it’ll also make you think twice before rejecting your creepy coworker’s advances, for better or for worse. Yeah… it’s probably for worse.

Audition (1999)

Did you think you could get through this entire list without being subjected to the horrors of Japanese cinema at least once? Not a chance! Even the most stone cold and (supposedly) scare-proof of moviegoers are likely to get skeeved out this traumatizing Takashi Miike film. Audition treats viewers with a ruthlessness not seen since… well, maybe ever. It’s got all your past, present and future nightmare scenarios covered – eating a stranger’s spew for sustenance? Check. Needlessly graphic needle torture? Check. Sawing off appendages with something that should never be used to cut through anything ever? Double check. Audition is so stomach-churning that it lead legions of viewers to walk out of early festival screenings – pretty crazy, right? What’s even crazier is that famously f*cked up folks like Rob Zombie, John Landis and (you guessed it!) Eli Roth found the film to be too much to take – if that doesn’t make you wanna give this film a go, I don’t know what will.

Hostel: Part II (2007)

Well, whaddaya know – it’s another Eli Roth film! Hostel: Part II has to be one of the filmmaker’s best (and bloodiest) movies. If you aren’t familiar with the Hostel franchise, the premise goes a little something like this: a bunch of rich white dudes (and the occasional loaded lady) have literally everything they could ever dream of and then some, so they find a brand spankin’ new and particularly gruesome way to get their jollies – by buying and torturing less fortunate people. While the first film in the series is a good one, Part II really takes the cake, despite raking in fewer bucks at the box office. The proof? Unlike Part I, the sequel was bonkers enough to be banned in both Germany and New Zealand. Roth eventually agreed to release a second, slightly less scarring cut of the film to be screened in both countries, but he certainly wasn’t too happy about it.

Slaughtered Vomit Dolls (2006)

The mere thought of this film makes me so uncomfortable that I’m having a tough time talking about it. Hold up, I think I need a minute – gulp. Ugh. OK, I’m ready. Directed by a dude who calls himself Lucifer Valentine, Slaughtered Vomit Dolls is the first film in some sort of ungodly trilogy that Mr. Valentine categorizes as belong to a horror subgenre called “Vomit Gore”. Yes, you heard that correctly – Vomit Gore, meaning you’ll probably wanna pass on the popcorn for this one. Wow, I cannot believe I’m introducing you innocent people to this atrocious artifact. Anyway, Slaughtered Vomit Dolls is basically a blood, sex and vomit-soaked fever dream, focusing on a frenzied stripper-turned-prostitute whose eating disorder (guess which one?!) drives her to the brink of insanity — she hustles, hallucinates, and (of course) hurls. Sounds like a classy little feature, doesn’t it folks? Fellow humans, why does stuff like this have to exist? Why, why, why?!

The Green Inferno (2015)

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned cannibal movie to get your stomach turning – especially when it’s directed by a dude like Eli Roth. While The Green Inferno has vintage vibes, it’s more ruthless and raunchy than most modern massacre movies. In addition to hippie hating, people-eating and traumatic torture, there’s an unsettling focus on female circumcision — a looming threat rarely seen on the big screen. Not since Lars von Trier’s Antichrist has a film made female horror fans so squeamish – but don’t worry dudes, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get icked out, too. Here’s a fun little example (if you’re not into spoilers, skip ahead a few seconds): how’d you like to watch someone get eaten alive by a bunch of tribes people who are totally stoned off their asses? As gross (and, frankly, kind of stupid) as this film may be, it’s a weirdly satisfying watch – don’t tell me you’ve never wished something that evil upon those Red Cross folks who harass you on the street.